The present invention is related to U.S. patent application (Attorney Docket 201-0318) entitled xe2x80x9cPassive Countermeasure Methodsxe2x80x9d filed simultaneously herewith and incorporated by reference herein.
The present invention relates generally to collision warning systems, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for warning a vehicle operator of a potential collision with an object and providing countermeasures as to prevent the collision and injury to the operator.
Collision warning and countermeasure systems are becoming more widely used. Collision warning systems provide a vehicle operator knowledge and awareness of objects or vehicles within a close proximity so as to prevent colliding with those objects. Countermeasure systems exist in various passive and active forms. Some countermeasure systems are used to aid in prevention of a collision others are used to aid in the prevention of injury to a vehicle operator.
Collision warning systems and countermeasure systems currently exist in various forms. Certain collision warning systems and countermeasure systems are able to sense a vehicle or object in the close proximity to a host vehicle and warn the host vehicle operator, such that the operator can take precautionary steps to prevent a collision or injury. Other collision warning systems and countermeasure systems activate passive or active countermeasures such as air bags, load limiting seat belts, or brake control whereby the system itself aids in preventing a collision or injury.
Currently collision warning systems and countermeasure systems are used independently and do not interact with each other in a cooperative fashion as to, in a combined fashion, further decrease the probability of a collision or injury. The current collision warning systems also do not utilize a majority of existing vehicle sensors such as tire pressure sensors and occupant classification sensors, in conjunction with the collision warning systems and countermeasure systems again to further decrease the probability of a collision or injury.
Separate from collision warning systems and countermeasure systems other systems exist for autonomously controlling a vehicle. These systems may include devices such as cameras, sensors, steering control, brake control, and accelerator control. Autonomous type systems have primarily been used for military applications and not for collision and injury prevention in automotive vehicles.
An ongoing concern for safety engineers is to provide a safer automotive vehicle with increased collision warning and safety countermeasure intelligence as to decrease the probability of a collision or an injury. Therefore, it would be desirable to provide an improved collision warning and safety countermeasure system for an automotive vehicle that incorporates existing techniques and others to create a more efficient collision and injury prevention system for an automotive vehicle.
The foregoing and other advantages are provided by a method and apparatus for performing collision warning and activating safety countermeasures for an automotive vehicle. A collision warning and safety countermeasure system for an automotive vehicle having a vehicle sensor complex and generating a vehicle sensor complex signal is provided. The system includes a sensor fusion that generates an object status signal. A threat assessor, electrically coupled to the sensor fusion, in response to the vehicle sensor complex signal generates a vehicle status signal. The threat assessor also in response to the vehicle status signal and the object status signal generates a collision assessment signal. An active countermeasure controller, electrically coupled to the threat assessor, generates an active countermeasure signal in response to the collision assessment signal and the vehicle sensor complex signal. A passive countermeasure controller, electrically coupled to the threat assessor, generates a passive countermeasure signal in response to the collision assessment signal and the vehicle sensor complex signal. An indicator, electrically""coupled to the threat assessor, generates a collision-warning signal in response to the collision assessment signal. A method for performing the same is also provided.
One of several advantages of the present invention is that it provides a system that incorporates multiple sensing, active, and passive safety systems, along with vehicle systems and autonomous techniques in a cooperative manner. Therefore, providing a more efficient collision and injury prevention system.
Another advantage of the present invention""is that it provides increased vehicle intelligence as in assessing a potential collision situation and determining what actions to perform.
Furthermore, the present invention provides an improved collision warning and safety countermeasure system architecture for communication between various safety and non-safety related systems of an automotive vehicle.
The present invention itself, together with attendant advantages, will be best understood by reference to the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying figures.